Brittany Garcia, LCPC

As the holidays approach, many of us find ourselves pulled between joy and rising stress. Whether it’s coordinating travel, hosting guests, obligated family time, managing finances, or resurfacing past trauma, this time of year can quickly become overwhelming.
Add in boundaries being repeatedly crossed, and it can quickly feel like too much. Let’s explore how you can take care of your mental health during the holiday season and create space for meaningful (not just obligatory) connection with those around you.

1. Acknowledge the Stress—It’s Real
Holiday stress isn't just in your head. According to the American Psychological Association, a significant number of adults report heightened stress levels during the holidays. Financial pressures, family conflict, and time demands top the list.

Check in with yourself:
- What are my current stressors?
- What expectations are adding pressure? 
- Am I dreading any interactions or events? 

2. Define Your Limits Before You're in the Moment
Boundaries are not walls; they’re guideposts for what you will and will not accept in your relationships. During the holidays, it’s especially helpful to set them proactively.

Examples of healthy holiday boundaries:
- Time: "I can only stay for two hours, but I would love to catch up during that time!"
- Topics: "I will not talk about politics during dinner"
- Space: “We’re keeping Christmas morning just for our immediate family this year.”
- Emotional energy: “I’m not available to mediate or be involved in family conflicts this year”

You owe it to yourself to protect your peace.

3. Prepare for Pushback
Not everyone will understand or support your boundaries, especially if they’re new. That’s okay. People who benefit from your lack of boundaries may feel uncomfortable when you start enforcing them.

"I understand that this may be upsetting, but I am taking care of myself this year and I hope you can respect that."

You are not in control of their reaction, but you are in control of taking care of yourself. 

4. Create New Traditions That Serve You
If old traditions cause more harm than joy, consider starting new ones.

That might mean:
- Celebrate with friends or chosen family instead.
- Volunteer, shift the focus outward 
- Create space for downtime and self-care alone. 
- Host something low pressure and low effort, like a potluck. 

Traditions should evolve with your needs—not trap you in cycles that no longer serve you.

5. Self Care is Not Optional. 
Your nervous system needs rest and regulation. 

- Sleep and hydrate
- Move; go on a walk or stretch
- Create space to decompress.
- Participate in activities that feel happy or meaningful

6. Seek Support 
You don’t have to go through the season alone. Whether you’re dealing with grief, difficult family dynamics, or simply feeling overwhelmed, talking through it can help you gain clarity and emotional support. 

- Schedule Therapy
- Find a Support Group
- Schedule time with friends or other Supports
- Identify and communicate your needs

At Restorative Connections Counseling, we’re here to help you navigate the holidays with intention, boundaries, and a deeper connection to what really matters to you.

Brittany Garcia, LCPC

Many people are feeling a heightened sense of stress right now. Between economic shifts, changes in communities, health concerns, changes in the education system, funding shifts, and the pace of news and world events, it can feel like stability is hard to come by. When the future feels unpredictable, it’s natural for anxiety and worry to increase.
Stress connected to uncertainty doesn’t just live in our thoughts — it affects our bodies and relationships, too. Trouble sleeping, irritability, difficulty focusing, or a sense of being “on edge” are common experiences when we’re carrying more than usual.
While there may be a lot of stressors that you cannot currently control, you do have control over caring for yourself and how you respond to these shifts.

Coping with Uncertainty

1. Stay Grounded in the Present. 
Uncertainty pulls our minds into the “what ifs.” Mindfulness practices — even something as simple as pausing to notice your breath or your surroundings — can bring you back to the here and now. A common grounding activity I sometimes use in sessions is to notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can physically feel, 3 things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Practice mindful meditation, get out into nature, play with your dog- whatever brings your attention to the current moment. 

2. Limit Information Overload
Find a balance between being informed, and taking breaks from exposure to news and social media. Set boundaries around how and when you consume information. 

3. Focus on What You Can Control
When so much feels unpredictable, small, intentional actions can restore a sense of stability. This may look like setting routines, making healthy choices, or focusing on manageable goals each day. There are already so many small things that you are choosing each day, like the clothes you put on when you get ready, bring your attention to these choices. 

4. Lean on Support
Talk with trusted friends, family, or professionals. Prioritize community and connection.

5. Care for Your Body
Focus on quality sleep, movement, and balanced nutrition widens the window of what you are able to tolerate, and prevents the added stress of feeling unwell, fatigued, or missing work. 

6. Give Yourself Permission to Rest
You don’t need to be productive every moment to have value. Rest and self-compassion are vital when everything feels heavy.

Finding Balance
It’s okay to acknowledge feelings that you are going through challenging times. Name what you are feeling and explore what you need to care for yourself and appropriately show up for those around you. 
If uncertainty is weighing heavily on your mental health, there is support. Reaching out to a therapist can help you find coping skills, grounding, and a safe place to process what you’re experiencing.

Brittany Garcia, LCPC

As Restorative Connections Counseling has been working to expand, we have had a lot of expected and unexpected changes, one being an increase in telehealth options. There have been a range of reactions from contacts looking for therapy to find currently our immediate openings are telehealth, and I thought it would be a great time to talk about the pros and cons of telehealth and why I sincerely think it can be a better option for some, although I will be the first to say that it often is not! There are a lot of factors to consider that can be further discussed with your therapist, but here is an overview!

Taking the first step toward therapy is a powerful decision—and figuring out how to access support is just as important as deciding to begin. In today’s world, therapy doesn’t always happen in a traditional office setting. More and more people are getting the care they need through telehealth, connecting with licensed therapists through secure video sessions from the comfort of their own space.
But how do you know if telehealth is the right fit for you?

This guide will walk you through some of the most common questions and concerns, and help you decide if starting therapy virtually is the next right step on your mental health journey.

First Things First: 
Telehealth sessions are just as confidential, professional, and intentional as in-person sessions. For many people, it’s a flexible, accessible, and effective way to receive support.
EMDR is available and generally equally effective via telehealth. I have been trained in and provided EMDR adapted for telehealth since becoming an EMDR provider.

Is Telehealth a Good Fit for You?
Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether teletherapy is right for you:
✅ It might be a great fit if you:

• Live in a rural area or don’t have easy access to local providers
• Have a busy schedule or can’t take time off work to travel to an office. Many clients do telehealth sessions between appointments or during their lunch breaks. 
• Feel more comfortable or SAFE talking from your own home or private space
• Struggle with mobility, chronic illness, or transportation barriers
• Want to reduce the stigma or anxiety of walking into a therapist’s office
• Appreciate the flexibility and privacy of virtual care. Sometimes, you feel better having a therapist outside of your community.
• Need access to care within a certain specialty that you cannot find in your area. I maintain licensure in Idaho where I do a lot of work with religious trauma and EMDR with individuals who have struggled to find support. 

If any of those sound familiar, telehealth could be an empowering and convenient option.

🤔 It might not be ideal if:

• You don’t have a reliable internet connection or a private place to talk
• You’re in a mental health crisis and need intensive, in-person support
• You find it hard to focus or connect through a screen
• You need services that require being physically present (like certain assessments or body-based therapies)

💞 But what about for couples and relationships? 
I have seen more hesitancy for online therapy from couples. Just like individually, couples therapy online isn't the best fit for everything, but it can be great too.
Couples therapy over telehealth can be a highly effective and accessible way to work on your relationship, especially if busy schedules, travel distance, or childcare make in-person sessions hard to manage. Meeting virtually allows partners to join from separate locations if needed, making it easier to stay consistent with sessions even during hectic times. Many couples find that being in a familiar environment helps reduce stress and encourages more open, honest conversations. Couples work is not for me, but Laurie is experienced and effective in addressing couple's challenges from a virtual setting, and working with clients to address hesitations and barriers around doing so over telehealth. 

All therapists at Restorative Connections Counseling provide telehealth support and we work to build connection over the screen as we recognize that a therapeutic relationship is the start of effective therapy and meeting virtually can be more challenging for many clients. 

💡 Still Not Sure? 

• Schedule a consultation: I generally recommend that clients start with a full initial session to give time to really get into what we are working on, dynamics between yourself and the therapist, and enough information to provide an appropriate referral if it is not a good fit. However, if it is important to you to meet briefly first with your therapist just to get an initial impression that is an option!
• Try a session or two: You don’t have to commit long-term. Trying a few sessions is the best way to see if it’s a good fit. Again, it takes time to build trust and relationship, especially in new ways. If you find that telehealth, or telehealth with your specific therapist aren't meeting your expectations you do not have to continue, and we are happy to support a transition of care. 
• Talk about your concerns: A good therapist will want to know what you’re feeling unsure about—and work with you to make it comfortable. There are so many ways to accommodate and adjust your therapy to make it work for you. Here are some examples of requests I have received over the years to adapt telehealth: 
  • Clients having fidget toys, doodling or doing something with their hands while working. I keep this an option in office too as some people do focus better while fidgeting, and can also be beneficial for grounding.
  • Requesting to adjust so that they are not able to see themselves on video. 
  • Needing to meet from their vehicle, as long as stationed in a safe and private place due to meeting over lunch break, meeting between appointments, or for better privacy than in the home. 
  • Requesting additional help from the therapist to bring the client back from distractions that might not be as present in office- which finding what works there is great therapeutic work in itself that can apply to other areas!

🕊️ Bottom Line: If It Feels Right, Give It a Try
Telehealth therapy isn’t the best fit for everyone, but it is a great fit for many people—especially those seeking convenience, privacy, and flexibility. If you’ve been waiting for the “right time” or “right way” to start therapy, this might be your sign.
Support is closer than you think. No long drive, no waiting room, no pressure—just you, your therapist, and a space to talk.

Healing in Motion: Understanding EMDR Therapy
In the world of trauma therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has become a powerful and well-researched tool for healing. It’s not a trend or a quick fix—it’s a deeply effective, evidence-based approach that helps people process and move through trauma that’s been stuck for far too long.
If you've ever felt like your body or brain is “stuck” in a past experience—where the emotions, beliefs, or sensations feel just as intense today as they did back then—EMDR might be worth exploring.

What Is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a structured therapy that helps people heal from trauma and distressing life experiences by working directly with the nervous system and the brain’s natural capacity to process information.
Unlike talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require you to give a play-by-play of what happened. It focuses on how the trauma lives in your nervous system now—what you believe about yourself, how your body responds, and the ways your past experiences are still impacting your present.

How Does It Work?
MDR uses something called bilateral stimulation—eye movements,  tapping or auditory tones. While focusing on a distressing memory, these movements help the brain reprocess that experience. Essentially, EMDR allows the brain to “unstick” and refile the memory in a way that’s no longer triggering or emotionally overwhelming.
It’s not hypnosis. You’re awake, in control, and aware. But your brain is doing deep work behind the scenes—accessing memory networks, letting go of old survival responses, and making new meaning.
At Restorative Connections, Brittany uses vibrating "tappers"—small handheld devices that alternate vibrations between each hand—for most in-person EMDR sessions. This method of bilateral stimulation is gentle and grounding, helping clients stay present and regulated during processing. For telehealth sessions, Brittany uses self-tapping techniques, guiding clients to tap alternately on their own shoulders or knees, so they can experience EMDR safely and effectively from the comfort of home.

What Can EMDR Help With?
EMDR was originally developed for PTSD, but it's now used to treat a wide range of issues, including:

• Childhood trauma and neglect
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Depression
• Grief and loss
• Chronic pain
• Attachment wounds
• Phobias
• Medical trauma
• Performance anxiety

What these all have in common is some kind of “stuck” experience in the body and brain—something that didn’t get fully processed when it happened, often because it was too overwhelming at the time.

What Does a Session Look Like?
EMDR is an eight-phase model, which includes:

1. History-taking and treatment planning
2. Preparation and building resources for safety
3. Identifying target memories
4. Desensitization (using bilateral stimulation)
5. Installing positive beliefs
6. Body scan (to track how your body responds)
7. Closure
8. Reevaluation in future sessions

The process is gentle but deep. You don’t have to tell your whole story out loud. And you’re never pushed faster than your system is ready for. A trauma-informed EMDR therapist will move at your pace and prioritize safety above all else.
​
Why It Matters
Trauma doesn’t always show up as flashbacks or nightmares. Sometimes it looks like chronic anxiety, people-pleasing, numbness, self-doubt, or always being on high alert. EMDR helps access the root of these patterns and create real, lasting change—not just insight, but relief.
Healing from trauma isn’t about erasing the past. It’s about reclaiming your present and your sense of safety. EMDR gives people the tools to do that in a way that feels organic, empowering, and grounded.

Final Thoughts
If you’ve tried other forms of therapy and still feel like something’s missing, EMDR might offer the shift you need. It doesn’t erase hard experiences—but it can help you relate to them differently, with more peace, strength, and clarity.
You don’t have to stay stuck. Healing is possible. And EMDR can be one powerful step on that path.

​At Restorative Connections Counseling, we believe that healing happens through connection—connection with yourself, with others, and with a supportive therapeutic space where you feel truly seen and heard. We work to provide a compassionate, nonjudgmental place to work through life’s challenges.

Who we are:
Restorative Connections Counseling was founded to meet the needs of clients recovering from trauma and provide additional resources to populations that are often marginalized. Our goal is to help you navigate life transitions and struggles with confidence and resilience, offering a personalized approach to meet your unique needs. We are working to expand our practice to offer additional services and resources to additional populations.

Can therapy benefit you?
Many people hesitate to reach out for therapy, wondering if their problems are “big enough” or if they can really open up about the hard topics. Therapy isn’t just for crisis moments—it’s for anyone looking to improve their mental health, build healthier relationships, and create a more fulfilling life. Ignoring past trauma and unhealthy relationship patters works until it doesn't. Clients often find that identifying and adjusting patterns that are not serving them anymore or processing events that continue to create strong emotional responses or avoidance brings far more clarity and relief than they ever would have imagined. 

What might you gain from therapy? 
✅ Clarity & Self-Awareness – Therapy provides a space to explore your thoughts, emotions, and patterns, helping you better understand yourself. Its hard to improve something you aren't aware of!
✅ Build Coping Strategies – Learn tools to manage stress and calm your nervous system.
✅ Heal from Past Experiences – Healing from childhood trauma, life transitions, religious trauma and spiritual abuse are a few common reasons people seek therapy. 
✅ Address Ongoing Trauma or High Stress – Explore how to cope with medical trauma or chronic illness, leave an unhealthy situation, and improve tolerance to unavoidable distress. 
✅ Improve Relationships & Communication – Improve boundaries, manage conflict, or create better connection in relationships.
✅ Restore Balance & Peace – Our goal is to help you feel empowered, confident, and at peace with yourself and your future.

A Safe Space for Healing.
Seeking therapy is a big step, and we see your courage in prioritizing your mental health. If you are new to therapy, it is okay to not know what it will look like - everyone is different and we will figure it out together in a warm, inclusive environment. Ready to begin your journey? I would love to hear from you!  Contact today to schedule an appointment.